Massive clean-up at coast
A huge beach clean-up was recently held at the coast during which a ton of rubbish was collected.
Erongo Marine Enterprises organised the clean-up action along a 50km stretch of coastline between Cape Cross and Mile 108 after reports were received that its branded plastic bags had washed ashore in this area.
A crew of 20 employees covered this stretch of beach on foot to collect all discarded rubbish, which amounted to more than a ton.
According to EME a report was received from the fisheries ministry that plastic sleeves used in the production of frozen horse mackerel had been found washed ashore along the stretch of coastline between Cape Cross and Mile 108.
According to the company, a full-scale investigation was launched into the reported incident.
Although no conclusive cause could be found, it was surmised that the spill of plastic bags into the ocean could have occurred during the loading of provisions in the bay at Walvis Bay and eventually washed ashore in the affected area.
“As a major player in the fishing industry, Erongo Marine Enterprises would like to make it clear that we are a responsible harvester of our natural resources.
“This is the first time in our operational history that such an incident has occurred.
“Our company proudly supports all environmental initiatives and when we were informed that it was our plastic sleeves that were littering the coastline, we immediately actioned a beach clean-up,” said Shane Westerdale, EME sales and marketing manager, who coordinated the clean-up.
According to him, as a result of the incident, stricter controls have been put in place to avoid a possible repeat.
The clean-up action comprised a team of 20 employees who were dispatched to the area on 21 December in five four-wheel drive vehicles.
A team of four employees were designated to patrol a 10km section of beach on foot for a stretch of 50km.
Employees not only collected Erongo Marine branded plastic bags, but also all discarded rubbish on the beach.
After a six-hour clean-up along the affected stretch of coastline a total of 150 black refuse bags weighing close to a ton were collected.
In view of the huge amount of rubbish collected on the stretch of beach, Erongo Marine Enterprises requested beachgoers and fishermen to not leave plastic bags and bait boxes on the beach.
STAFF REPORTER
Erongo Marine Enterprises organised the clean-up action along a 50km stretch of coastline between Cape Cross and Mile 108 after reports were received that its branded plastic bags had washed ashore in this area.
A crew of 20 employees covered this stretch of beach on foot to collect all discarded rubbish, which amounted to more than a ton.
According to EME a report was received from the fisheries ministry that plastic sleeves used in the production of frozen horse mackerel had been found washed ashore along the stretch of coastline between Cape Cross and Mile 108.
According to the company, a full-scale investigation was launched into the reported incident.
Although no conclusive cause could be found, it was surmised that the spill of plastic bags into the ocean could have occurred during the loading of provisions in the bay at Walvis Bay and eventually washed ashore in the affected area.
“As a major player in the fishing industry, Erongo Marine Enterprises would like to make it clear that we are a responsible harvester of our natural resources.
“This is the first time in our operational history that such an incident has occurred.
“Our company proudly supports all environmental initiatives and when we were informed that it was our plastic sleeves that were littering the coastline, we immediately actioned a beach clean-up,” said Shane Westerdale, EME sales and marketing manager, who coordinated the clean-up.
According to him, as a result of the incident, stricter controls have been put in place to avoid a possible repeat.
The clean-up action comprised a team of 20 employees who were dispatched to the area on 21 December in five four-wheel drive vehicles.
A team of four employees were designated to patrol a 10km section of beach on foot for a stretch of 50km.
Employees not only collected Erongo Marine branded plastic bags, but also all discarded rubbish on the beach.
After a six-hour clean-up along the affected stretch of coastline a total of 150 black refuse bags weighing close to a ton were collected.
In view of the huge amount of rubbish collected on the stretch of beach, Erongo Marine Enterprises requested beachgoers and fishermen to not leave plastic bags and bait boxes on the beach.
STAFF REPORTER
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